“Pam, this is impossible.” Jim stared down at the test in his wife’s hand. They stood together in the spacious master bathroom of the home they’d shared for nearly a quarter of a century, where they’d raised four kids and a puppy together, and had shared many ups and downs. He couldn’t quite yet decide if this was an ‘up’ or a ‘down’. It was still too shocking.
Pam looked as equally shocked and even a little terrified. “Apparently not. The kids are going to freak out.” She put the test on a tissue next to the sink and sat down on the closed toilet seat, still shaking her head.
Jim leaned back against the counter, unable to hide a smile despite the predicament they were in. Here they were, enjoying having adolescents and young adults instead of babies and toddlers. Suddenly the eight short years in which they would have their empty nest had been extended to eighteen.
“Maddie has enjoyed being the baby for ten years. She’s not going to give that title up without a fight.” Jim knew that maybe they had spoiled all of their children a little too much and this would certainly be a wake-up call for the two younger Halpert children.
“Well maybe if you hadn’t spent the last ten years calling her Princess Maddie…” Pam joked, the tension in the bathroom slowly dissipating as it really sunk in that this was happening.
“Well I thought she was the last one,” Jim pointed out, his tone playful and joking. “I didn’t know I’d be lying to her for the first decade of her life. At least it’s summer, Liv will be home from school to help you out.”
“Maybe we should wait to tell them? At my age the likelihood is slim…” Pam trailed off. They’d experienced the pain of losing a pregnancy between Jack and Gavin and Pam knew without a doubt that it was something she did not want to go through again.
Jim shrugged, running a hand through the hair that was no longer the shaggy, solid brown of his 20s and 30s. It was now tinted with gray, but the style matched his age. “It’s up to you. I’ll be fine with either choice.”
“I think I’ll call Dr. Kern tomorrow and set up an appointment. That way we can make sure everything is okay first. If he thinks we’re good to go, we can tell them. If not, we won’t.” Pam slowly got to her feet and Jim pulled her in for a hug. Her face against his chest, Pam’s tired laughter was muffled by his dress shirt. He kissed the top of her head and was about to reply when a loud banging of fists on the closed door interrupted him.
“Mom! Dad! Maddie hid my math book and she won’t tell me where it is!” Gavin’s voice followed the incessant noise.
Almost immediately Maddie’s high-pitched shrieks sounded, her shrill voice hurting both her parents’ ears. “You deserved it you jerk! You tripped me!” The sound of scuffling on the other side of the door indicated that the situation was escalating quickly.
“I’ll do it again if you don’t give me my book back!”
“NOOO! Stop, Gavin! STOOOOOOP!”
Jim grabbed the knob and yanked the door open. In tumbled the two youngest Halpert children, a tangled mess of arms and legs. Gavin’s face was red with anger and Maddie’s tear-streaked cheeks told them she had definitely been crying. As Jim and Pam stood over their children, Olivia appeared in the doorway to their bedroom, Jack quick on her heels.
“What the heck is going on up here?” Liv asked as Jack pushed his way into his parents’ bedroom as well. “I can hear you guys from the studio!”
Pam helped Maddie to her feet and brought her into the bathroom to dry the tears. Olivia followed, trying to comfort her baby sister. Meanwhile Jim had a firm grasp on Gavin’s arm and sat him down on the bed.
“What’s going on with you two lately?!” Jim demanded of his son, who was sulking while Jack stood by, still out of the loop.
Pam leaned in the doorway between the bathroom and the bedroom, arms crossed in front of her. Maddie was sitting on the edge of the tub, a cold washcloth already in hand. “I can’t believe you two. If you can’t get along, leave each other alone. I – ”
“Mom?! Dad?! What’s this?!”
Pam turned quickly, just in time to see Olivia pointing to the test sitting on the counter. It had been forgotten in the chaos of fighting children. Jack and Gavin gravitated toward the bathroom immediately, standing on the tip-toes behind Pam trying to see around her.
Jack’s jaw dropped when he realized what his sister was pointing at. He took a step back, not quite able to speak at first. “Oh God you guys…Gross!”
“You’re both…so OLD! You’re practically fifty! That is gross…” Gavin concurred, wrinkling his nose at the idea of what would have happened in order for that test to be positive.
“Mom, are you…pregnant?” Olivia was cautious. She wasn’t sure she wanted a confirmation. After all, that would open a whole new can of worms regarding their parents that Liv didn’t want to know anything about.
Jim and Pam exchanged a glance. “Well I guess the cat’s out of the bag…” She nodded slowly.
Collectively, the response was a resounding, “Ewwwwwwwwww!”
Jim laughed. What a new adventure this would be.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Not mine, not mine, not mine. *Sigh*
Chapter End Notes:
BigTuna is awesome and betas my ramblings, no matter how long or short. Thank goodness for her!
Also, I realize 5 kids is kind of a lot. Had this idea come to me sooner, I would have stopped at the third one and then the 'oops' could have been Maddie. Ah well, hindsight is 20/20. Reviews are always welcome :)
Also, I realize 5 kids is kind of a lot. Had this idea come to me sooner, I would have stopped at the third one and then the 'oops' could have been Maddie. Ah well, hindsight is 20/20. Reviews are always welcome :)
